Today, I honor my mother, Eufemia F. Octaviano, who died of cancer on August 16, 2021. Mom was diagnosed with cancer when she was almost eighty (80) years old.
She was a non-smoker, yet, she had lung cancer. My father, Gil N. Octaviano, Jr.
also died of prostate cancer (which had spread) on October 25, 2021. He was diagnosed in 2007. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases that can affect any part of the body.
Other terms used are malignant tumors and neoplasms. One defining feature of cancer is the rapid creation of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries, and which can then invade adjoining parts of the body and spread to other organs; the latter process is referred to as metastasis. Widespread metastases are the primary cause of death from cancer.
Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. The most common in 2020 (in terms of new cases of cancer) were: breast (2.26 million cases); lung (2.
21 million cases); colon and rectum (1.93 million cases); prostate (1.41 million cases); skin (non-melanoma) (1.
20 million cases); and stomach (1.09 million cases). Many of us know someone who is diagnosed with the big C.
Like any medical condition, it can happen to anyone. Even children. WHO continues to share that Cancer risk can be reduced by: not using tobacco; maintaining a healthy body weight; eating a healthy diet, including fruit and vegetables; doing physical activity regularly; avoiding or reducing consumption of alcohol; getting vaccinated against HPV and hepatitis B if you belong to a group for which vaccination is recommended avoiding ultraviolet radiation exposure (which primarily results from exposure to the sun and artificial tanning devices) and/or using sun protection measures ensuring safe and appropriate use of radiation in health care (for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes); minimizing occupational exposure to ionizing radiation; and reducing exposure to outdoor air pollution and indoor air pollution, including radon (a radioactive gas produced from the natural decay of uranium, which can accumulate in buildings — homes, schools, and workplaces).
Let us try to do the above to prevent cancer. Early detection – meaning, cancer isn’t too large or has not spread - can have a chance for better and more successful treatment. I also have someone who had chemotherapy and is now cancer-free.
However, many did not survive cancer. We hear death announcements that a person passed away after fighting the Big C. Losing someone you love is painful.
Death leaves a big heartache. Grieving is okay. It does not have an expiring date.
People have different coping ways with death. Some can move on right away; others will still be grieving until the end. Grieving is a not a weakness.
It is the price of loving someone much. There are five stages of grieving according to Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. Denial – feeling numb, shock, avoidance and confusion Anger – frustration, irritation, anxiety Bargaining – struggling to find meaning, reaching out to others Depression – overwhelmed, helpless Acceptance – exploring options, moving on One important thing to think about.
Our faith sustains us. We accept God’s will. We cannot control our sickness.
We cannot predict death. We cannot change our “sufferings.” God gives us challenges.
Let us be comforted that He will be there for us always. We need to trust His will..
